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I gotta get me one of these!
By Andrew Pollack on 08/05/2005 at 11:21 AM EDT
Now on my must have list: A Fuel Cell Motorcycle for $6000.
From the article:
ENV makes no more noise than a home computer and emits only heat and water. Users have compared riding the nearly silent motorbike to skiing, sailing, surfing, and glider flying. "If you go for a ride in the countryside, as you ride through it, you can smell the countryside, hear the birds singing, and you are not disturbing nature," Eggleston said. "Birds will not fly out of the way because they are terrified of the noise."
Intelligent Energy plans to sell the motorbike for between U.S. $6,000 and $8,000. The company believes the ENV will appeal to both urban commuters and recreational riders.....
...
Intelligent Energy is currently developing devices called reformers that extract hydrogen from biodiesel fuels and ethanol for around U.S. $1,500 and could produce enough hydrogen to fill up the ENV for about 25 cents per tank, while contributing no more atmospheric emissions than plant-based raw materials of biodiesel or ethanol would emit if left to rot on the ground. [Note from Andrew: Of course, this doesn't account for the costs and emissions related to refining the biodiesel or ethanol]
...
"So you can get on the ENV motorbike and, for a quarter, do one hundred miles of silent, emissions-free biking," Eggleston said. "That to me is a compelling thing."
curve, for instance, better lower center of gravity, ironically simpler
mechanicals, and the lack of high-explosives in the tank between your legs.
However. I would strongly advocate that a "silent" bike is an incredibly dumb
idea. Car drivers rarely see "bikes". I ride around with a flourescent red
jacket, silver patterned helmet, shiny stuff on the bike, and the headlamp
permanently on. And its a bright red bike. And still car drivers pull out on
you, because "they cant see you". They sure as hell hear you through -
especially in the city as your filtering through traffic.
A silent bike would miss out on this important safety feature. The review of
this one I read had an optional sound-emitting unit, so it sounded like a real
bike.. (Hm. Could you choose what it sounded like ? Harley ? R1 ? Hmm). I think
it should be fitted and on as manadatory, at least until car drivers can use
their eyes...
---* Bill
think of all the people you can sneak up on. I am sure the standard safety
feature called a "horn" is built into this incredible machine.
g.
ng/
I agree, Andrew, I soooo want one of these. It would be the perfect vehicle
for many things that I do these days.
I also agree with Wild Bill about its silence being a detriment, not an asset.
I think if I got one I'd do something outregeous to make it visible.
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